What is the one thing you wish you'd known before starting?

[LZee]

I'm about to assemble and try out a compucarve.

What's the one thing you wish you had known---about assembly, about software, about the interface, about anything!---before carving your first piece?

Any hints, tips, tricks for us newbies?

Linda

[The Bard]

use cheap pine or something to test a project out before you go destroying 100 year old redwood and then coming to complain about it LOL...

[IM2HAPPI]

Welcome Linda.....
Take you time, read everything and be confident female. CW carver likes woman ; )

[The Bard]

i've noticed that too.. hmmm

[Julie Coffey]

I'm about to assemble and try out a compucarve.

What's the one thing you wish you had known--- about anything!

Linda


Hello Linda welcome! I'm 'Thelma' you've already met my cohort in crime on the boards 'Louise'. You've already figured out the best first thing- the willingness to admit you don't know it all and the desire to ask questions.

The folks here are swell- we'll be looking forward to working and learning together with you.

Julie :)

[Digitalwoodshop]

Speaking of "willingness to admit", We need to work on that 12 step recovery program / support group for Carve People for when your Machine gets that free ride to Texas.... for repair.

It's been 5 days since my last project.... LOL....

Lets hope for many trouble free carving days.

Welcome Linda,

What part of the country are you in? Warm or cold? 11 degrees here.

AL

[LZee]

Good morning!

I've also got a bit of confession---I'm a tool associate for Sears (five years), with a domain site

(WARNING: small plug for children's literature coming on!)
www.lindazinnen.com

We got a returned compucarve (the housing was cracked and the guy thought that for 2K, he should be able to do his own shipping damage, har!), and the best store manager in the world promptly dubbed it our floor model.

We are in the process of assembling and giving it a go.

So, yes, I've updated the software!

And yes, I've got cheap pine!

And yes, I've got a very simple design straight out of the library---a rosette surrounded by the words: "Give Linda a Raise" (nice, huh?)

And yes, we've got a list of 50 (?!) names from the local wood craftsman talent---we're hoping to do an in-store demo (don't worry, after the Daytona 500), once the annoying BigWig Visit is over next week (and yes! I am sick of dusting compressors!)

Is there anything else? Am I going to be embarrassed by a sudden y-axis plunge? Not being able to get the bit in? Rollers gone haywire?

Linda

[menewfy]

Hello Linda I believe you are taking a very different appoarch than another sears employee lately and I will speak for all when I say WELCOME!!

My recommendation would be try one at home or in the back before you do the demo, it will only help you just do the same piece over and over using different settings when setting up the machine so you can show examples when you get there.

this allows for a couple of things

1. people will see what you have alreAdy done.
2. you will have less chance of being embarrased.
3. you WILL be more confident when answering your clients questions!

good luck

[HandTurnedMaple]

Is there anything else? Am I going to be embarrassed by a sudden y-axis plunge? Not being able to get the bit in? Rollers gone haywire?

Linda

Maybe...

[CallNeg151]

Good morning!
Is there anything else? Am I going to be embarrassed by a sudden y-axis plunge? Not being able to get the bit in? Rollers gone haywire?
Linda

I don't understand the whole lack of love that Sears is getting from people. Maybe I've just been lucky that most of my experiences in the tool department have been positive. In any event, welcome!

I'm one of the folks waiting a few weeks to buy one (having lurked on here for months), because I know that I'm likely to break my bit on day one. :-) With that said, I've bungled enough demos of other technologies to know that demo's never quite go as planned.

I agree with the advice of menewfy, in that you should run a few projects in advance. This will allow you to discover any of the "quirks" of your machine, which is especially important because it has apparently not had the TLC that it deserves. Menewfy is also right, that woodworkers will want to see what the machine is capable of, so you might consider running a project or two from the gallery if you don't want to spend the time designing your own. You should also complete a copy of the "Give Linda A Raise" sign in advance. When you start up the machine, most people are going to want to watch the machine for a while (maybe the first 10 minutes or so), but will lose interest after staring at a noisy automated machine. You can cut the process a bit short by pulling out your finished sign to show them what the project will look like when the machine completes it's run. I think that would be good for a sale right then and there.

Good luck with your demo!

[forqnc]

I have had my machine for just over a week, have been carving on it everyday. Only problems I had, where some homing problems and a ‘Clean Board sensor’ last Sunday, the homing errors cleared up themselves. Worked fine the rest of the week, so Thursday I decided bring it in to work to show some colleagues. Went to power up with everyone waiting in anticipation, and I got a clean board sensor, cleaned and cleaned, would not clear. So I got some tools and proceded to unscrew the board sensor. At this point everybody dwindle back to work. I removed the sensor, and there was dust inside, blew it off and re-assembled. Switched power back on and inserted a board, at this point a couple of colleagues where returning. When the machine went to go home, yes you guessed, homing errors. I moved the axis’s by hand and tried several times no luck. Finally I placed the machine on a solid level bench. Worked fine, whohoo. Started carving and watched everybody’s eye’s glaze over with awe, I swear some were close to drooling. :D

Bottom line as menewfy said, get familiar with the workings before trying a show and tell, anything could happen. You’ve been warned. :evil: :D

Oh the other part was first thing in the morning the test piece I went to download to my card and my laptop could not see it. So Show and Tell almost didn’t happen.

Good Luck

[The Bard]

we were taking notes from Bill Gates

[jspringertx]

If you are going to demonstrate the machine live, I suggest that you provide your customer with ear protection. It might eliminate any hearing problems that your customer may experience. I HAD an ear protection device that my dog chewed up so I am waiting until I run my unit again.

I am firmly convinced that it is not a question of whether or not your hearing could be damaged, but when! The high pitched sound is higher than the db's allowed by OSHA.

It does a great job of carving and will be an excellent demonstration unit.

A word for the wise! :roll:

[LZee]

HOLY MOLY---WHAT A MACHINE!!!!

I am posting from work, almost giddy with how cool the compucarve is! Unbeliveable!

Thanks for all your suggestions---we did indeed beta test it in the warehouse. It took all of five minutes to assemble correctly; we fed the board in and whoa! Two designs in under forty-five minutes. We sanded, stained, and our test boards are now proudly placed next to the display model.

This is amazing! Stupendous! Yeow! And as it sounds like the tech support matches the quality machine, rest assured I'm going to sell. this. sucker.

It looks like we're going to offer a live demonstration (yeah, the noise thing is a problem---our store manager will have to make the call whether we can actually let it carve on the floor) just in time for the next Craftsman Club (24 February through 3 March, 1699.99)

I am psyched!

Once again, thanks for all your input.

Linda